1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the manufacture of flexible, porous hose or pipe principally used in watering systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the manufacture of tubular, reinforced porous hose or pipe intended for use in surface and subsurface, pressurized, continuous feed moisture watering systems, commonly known as trickle irrigation, or drip irrigation systems. For purposes of this invention, the term porous pipe is intended to include both tubular porous pipe and tubular porous hose used for either sub-surface or above ground irrigation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,130,498 issued to Klemschofski et al. discloses one porous pipe structure. Other known porous pipe patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,807,505 issued to Weitzel; 4,003,408 issued to Turner; 4,028,288 issued to Turner; 4,110,420 issued to Turner; 4,168,799 issued to Turner; 4,191,522 issued to Turner; 4,235,561 issued to Peterson; 4,517,316 issued to Mason; 4,615,642 issued to Mason; 4,616,055 issued to Mason; 4,740,104 issued to Stohr et. al.; 4,931,236 issued to Hettinga; and 4,958,770 issued to Mitchell.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,288 issued to Turner, is representative of moldable products using granular material made from reclaimed tires.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,934 issued to Adkins is representative of the use of porous pipe structures in a continuous feed moisture maintenance system for irrigation of plants, shrubs, and trees.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,558 issued to Galloway et. al. discloses the manufacture of reinforced non-porous tubular hose.
The porous pipe disclosed in the prior art is typically a low pressure porous pipe, which does not have the strength to be pulled through the soil with inexpensive vibra-plow technology.
Vibra-plow technology has developed as a low-cost way of installing electrical conduit and wires, flexible non-porous water pipe, etc. Vibra-plow technology eliminates the need for pre-digging a hole, placing the pipe or conduit into the hole, then covering the hole with the material previously removed. Vibra-plow technology pulls the pipe from its starting point, into the ground, and installs the pipe beneath the ground with a blade extending from the vehicle. The blade cuts through the top surface of the soil to install the pipe beneath the soil in one inexpensive operation. No separate hole digging or back filling is required. The impact on the environment is negligible.
Porous pipe, as currently manufactured, breaks when pulled with a force sufficient to use the Vibra-plow technology. Therefore, what is needed is an improved, reinforced porous pipe which has the strength to be pulled beneath the ground without breaking, as practiced in conventional Vibra-plow technology.